She had no need to work, but by 1988 was among the 20 highest-paid fashion models, earning $7.5 million a year. She grew up in France from the age of five, and later attended boarding school in Switzerland. She eventually returned to Paris to study art and architecture, but left school at 19 to become a model full-time.

In 1998 Carla Bruni quit the world of fashion, and has since devoted herself to chanson. In 2002 her debut album Quelqu'un m'a dit, produced by Louis Bertignac, was released in Europe to great success.